or measure must be passed upon in some way, and then a motion to adjourn may be again made.

Nor is it meant that any member can rise up when another is speak ing and move to adjourn; for a member who has the floor has the right to finish his remarks, unless called to order, which call will presently be spoken of. But whenever he has closed his remarks, whoever gets the floor may always move to adjourn. This motion must be put, no other motion taking precedence of it. It is common, when a member moves to adjourn, for another member to ask him to withdraw his motion for a short time, while some other incidental matter be brought forward and disposed of; then the motion to adjourn comes up. The adjournment may be without day, which is a dissolution of the meeting, or to a time which the motion specifies. Sometimes there is a previous vote, that when the meeting adjourns it adjourns to such a time; and sometimes there is a general rule about the adjournment, as in the daily sessions of the legislature, and an adjournment is to the time that may be fixed in either of these ways.

CHAPTER X.

TO LIE ON THE TABLE.

THIS motion may be made for a variety of reasons. One is, that the subject may give way to another which a member deems of more immediate importance. Another is, because a member wishes for some delay, that he or the assembly may examine further into the matter. Any thing which is laid on the table remains there, unless a motion be made to take it up.

It is a general rule that a motion that any subject lie on the table is not debatable; and the motion is sometimes made to enable the meeting to get rid of it without further debate. It is an insufficient way, however, because, if the motion be laid on the table, a motion may be made at once to take the subject from the table, or to reconsider the motion to lie on the table, and one of these motions is generally debatable.

CHAPTER XI.

THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.

THIS is a motion of much importance. The history of it in parliamentary law is somewhat obscure; now, however, and in this country, it is a generally established rule that the motion for the previous question is not debatable, and, therefore, it forms the best, if not the only adequate, means by which an assembly can terminate a debate at once, when it has made up its mind that any further debate would be useless or mischievous. The necessity that every assembly or meeting should have this power in their own hands ought to be obvious. For example, let there be a meeting of one hundred men, ninety-four of whom are in favor of a certain course, which one of them embodies in a motion, and six are opposed to this course and to the motion, it is plain that the six, by relieving each other, may

talk on indefinitely, and weary out the meeting, or consume all the time at its disposal, and so prevent any thing from being done, unless the meeting can terminate the debate and proceed to a vote. This it can do by means of the previous question, if a motion therefor is not debatable. But if this motion is debatable, the debate may still go on indefinitely.

The way this end is accomplished is this: the previous question is, "Shall the main question be now put?" A member moves the previou◄ question, and it is seconded; then the presiding officer must put to the meet ing at once the question, "Shall the main question be now put?" No debate can follow, but the meeting determines this question by vote; and if that vote is in the affirmative, the main question is then put. The main question is the question which was before the house, and was then debated. Sometimes the ordering of the main question is considered as cutting off amendments. We think it a more frequent and a better way to consider the main question as the question in the form in which it was under discussion when the previous question was ordered. The presiding officer will then first put the last amendment offered, and then the previous amendments, in their order, and then the original question as it stands, ither amended or not amended.

CHAPTER XII.

POSTPONEMENT TO A DAY CERTAIN.

THIS motion is frequently made for such reasons as seem good to the mover, and is carried if they seem good to the meeting. Generally, it is accompanied by the words "and shall then be taken up for debate," or some equivalent words, providing that at that time this subject shall take precedence of all others. If such a motion be passed, when that time arrives the presiding officer will announce that the time has come for considering such a subject, and will state the question as then before the assembly.

CHAPTER XIII.

TO COMMIT.

A MOTION to commit is made when the mover desires to bave the subject fully considered and investigated, and a report made upon it after such investigation. It is, however, often made, in fact, for other reasons: one of them is, to dispose of it for the time, and get it out of the way; or it may be to get rid of it altogether, by giving it to a committee who will never make a report of it. And sometimes it is alleged that the motion is made to get a vote upon the subject without debate; for that must happen if the time is limited, and the committee delay their report until there is no time for debate. But these are not good reasons: the only good reason being that just above stated.

A committee make their report through their chairman, of some one whom the chairman or the committee directs to make it. It is frequently

received by the presiding officer, as a matter of course, and without motion, and handed to the clerk or secretary. More commonly, however, a motion is made and voted upon to receive the report. A mere reception of a report discharges the committee, so that, unless authorized by a new vote, they have nothing more to do with it. But the reception of the report is no expression whatever of the sentiments of the meeting in relation to it, although a refusal to receive would be a strong expression of disapprobation. Sometimes the motion is that 66 the report be received and approved."

Not unfrequently a subject is referred to a committee, with instructions to do something about it; as to report a resolution, or a bill or order, or to report at a certain time: which instructions the committee must, of course, obey.

If the report has appended to it resolutions, or a bill or vote of any kind, various motions may be made in reference to these: as, if they are only resolutions, that they are adopted as the sense of the meeting; or, if they recommend any special measure, or offer a bill or specific vote, the motion may be that the resolutions, bill, or vote be placed in the orders of the day, or be assigned for consideration at a particular time; or such other disposition may be made of them as the mover wishes.

The formation and duties of committees will be spoken of presently.

CHAPTER XIV.

MOTION TO AMEND.

THIS is a very wide subject, because motions may be made for amendments of almost any kind. It is in this matter that confusion is most apt to come into the business of an assembly. Certain rules, intended to prevent confusion, have been generally adopted, and may be considered as established by usage, although in practice they are sometimes disregarded.

The first of these is, that every motion to amend is itself subject to amendment; but as this, if carried too far, would lead to inextricable disorder, there is a subsidiary rule, to the effect that, if an amendment be moved, an amendment may be moved to this amendment; but there can be no amendment offered to the second amendment. Thus, if one member offers a motion, a second member may move to amend it in a certain way; a third member may move to amend the amendment offered by the second member; but there it must stop. If a fourth member moves to amend the amendment offered by the third member, his motion would not be in order, and therefore would not be received. After the amendments offered are passed upon, then, aud only then, the fourth member may bring forth his amendment as a new motion. A second rule is, if the assembly either adopt or reject a proposed amendment, that amendment cannot be afterwards altered or amended in any part of it. Generally the same rule applies to amendments which was stated in reference to adjournments; namely, that if the amendment be once rejected, it cannot be immediately repeated. For, if it could be, there would be no end to a discussion of this kind. Two or three obstinate persons might, by getting the floor succes

sively, hold the attention of the meeting to a measure which they had once rejected. But if, after an amendment is rejected, further action is had upon the principal motion, so as to give to that amendment a new aspect, or a new effect, it may then be properly offered and considered

anew.

It may be said, also, that if a proposition consists of many parts, which succeed each other in an orderly way, amendments which relate to the earliest should be first considered. It has been said that if an amendment be made to a later part, an amendment to a former part is not receivable. This we do not think reasonable; for it may be that the amendment of the latter part has made the amendment of the former part necessary.

Amendments may be made by altering, by striking out, by insertion, or both striking out and insertion, or by additions.

If the amendment propose to strike out certain parts, and is rejected, that amendment cannot be repeated, unless other amendments have given to it a new effect; but an amendment may be offered to strike out those parts or words together with other parts or words, for this would be a new amendment. So, if certain words be struck out, an amendment cannot be offered to restore them, unless in connection with other words which give them a new effect. So, if an amendment to insert is rejected, it cannot be repeated, unless it be with other words which suffice to make of it a different proposition.

If the amendment be by striking out and inserting, any member may ask that it be divided, and the question taken first on striking out, and then on inserting. This is usually done on request; but if it is objected to, the presiding officer will put the question to vote. The reason for dividing such a question is obvious. Members may be agreed on the expediency of striking out certain words, but there may be much difference of opinion as to supplying their places with any words, or with what words; and if the motion to strike out alone prevails, then the motion to insert will be put; and any other motion may then be made in regard to the words to be inserted. Any motion which consists of different parts may be divided, and the different parts voted upon separately.

Whenever a motion to amend is made, whether by striking out or inserting, or both, or by some addition, the presiding officer should read the passage as it stands when offered, and then should read the motion to amend, and then should read the passage as it would read if the amendment be adopted, in order that the meeting may know clearly what the effect of their votes may be.

The amendment sometimes consists in filling blanks. The proper method of doing this has been much disputed, and may not now be quite settled. The blank may require an amount inserted, or it may require a tine inserted. Different members may move different amounts or different times; and the question then occurs, in what order these questions shall be considered. One way would be to take the motions in the order in which they are made. So far as we know, this method is very seldom adopted. The question lies between the largest and the smallest amounts, or the longest and the shortest times. To show the diversity on this point, it may be stated that, in the English Parliament, the rule is,

that the smallest sum first be voted upon; and if that be rejected, then the larger and the longest time first; and if that be rejected, then the shorter. While in the United States Senate the question is first on the largest sum, and then on the smaller, and first on the longest time, and then on the shorter. Permanent assemblies will probably make their own rule on the subject; and any casual meeting or assembly may direct whichever method preferred. On the whole, we think that the commonest, as well as most convenient and reasonable rule, is that of the Senate of the United States, just stated. Then, if the question be first taken on the largest amount, those who are in favor of some amount, but not of so large a one, can vote against it, and if it be negatived, the amount can be brought down by successive motions, until an amount be reached which a majority are willing to agree to. A similar remark may be made in regard to beginning with the longest time.

CHAPTER XV.

HOW COMMITTEES ARE APPOINTED.

IN permanent assemblies there are always rules as to the manner of appointing committees. In casual meetings, any method may be adopted that the meeting chooses. Sometimes they are chosen by ballot; sometimes by a nomination from members, followed by a vote; sometimes by a nomination by the presiding officer, followed by a vote; and sometimes by appointment by the president, without vote. If there be no general rule, and no special vote in reference to a committee, the customary way in casual meetings is for the presiding officer to nominate the members for the committee; and, generally, he offers such nomination to the meeting for a vote of approval; but this he need not do, unless a vote requires it. Sometimes the presiding officer declines to nominate, and asks the meeting to appoint in some other way. Sometimes the presiding officer is authorized to appoint the members at a future time, after the meeting is dissolved, and notify the members of the committee through the clerk or by publication. Sometimes the presiding officer, or other person or persons, are added to the committee by motion. It is not regular to put any persons on the committee who are not members of the assembly or meeting. This is sometimes done by casual meetings, and is to be understood as a request to such persons to serve the meeting in that way.

In appointing the committees, however this duty may be performed, it is customary to appoint the mover first on the committee, and after him, to appoint those who have manifested most interest in the question, equalizing those in the affirmative and in the negative, as far as may be, but having the balance rather in the affirmative than in the negative.

At the meetings of the committee, the common rules of order, so far as they are applicable, are usually applied. A majority of the committee constitutes a quorum, unless there be some vote or rule to the contrary. The number of the committee should be fixed by vote, if not by rule; and if various numbers are proposed, the most convenient and customary